A high-current-gain low-temperature pseudo-heterojunction bipolartransistor utilizing sidewall base-contact structure (SICOS)

An experimental pseudo-heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) is described. The pseudo-HBT is a homojunction bipolar transistor having a moderately doped emitter and a heavily doped base, providing a bandgap profile similar to those of actual HBTs. Analyses including real constraints, such as a heavily doped emitter region for ohmic contact and the profile tail in the base region, show a significant change in the way they affect injection characteristics between 300 and 77 K. Based on these analyses, an impurity profile is carefully designed for upward mode operation. The electron injection into the external base region. which is thought to be unfavorable for high current gain in the upward mode, is avoided by using the sidewall base-contact structure. The fabricated transistor clearly displays a negative temperature dependence on current gain. The current gain is 107 at 77 K, which is 5 times higher than the room-temperature current gain. In addition, current gain excluding the nonideal effects at 77 K is as high as 25,000. These results not only remove gain degradation at low temperatures, but also verify the pseudo-HBT concept, in which an injection efficiency as high as that of an HBT can be obtained using only homojunctions. Based on these results, the small emitter transit time inherent in pseudo-HBTs is analyzed     

Gate length scaling for Al0.2Ga0.8N/GaNHJFETs: two-dimensional full band Monte Carlo simulation includingpolarization effect

Two-dimensional self-consistent full band Monte Carlo (FBMC) simulator was developed for electron transport in wurtzite phase AlGaN/GaN heterojunction (HJ) FET. Recessed gate Al_0.2Ga_0.8N/GaN HJFET structures with an undoped cap layer were simulated, where the spontaneous and piezoelectric polarization effects were taken into account. The polarization effect was shown to not only increase the current density, but also improve the carrier confinement, and hence improve the transconductance. An off-state drain breakdown voltage (BV_ds) of 300 V and a maximum linear output power (P_max) of 46 W/mm were predicted for a 0.9-μm gate device. For a 0.1-μm gate device, 60 V BV_ds , 20 W/mm P_max, and 160 GHz current-gain cutoff frequency were predicted. Although there is considerable uncertainty due to lack of information on the band structure, scattering rates, and surface conditions, the present results indicate a wide margin for improvements over current performance of AlGaN/GaN HJFETs in the future. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the FBMC simulation for AlGaN/GaN HJFETs     

Detection of wheat as an allergenic substance in food by a nested PCR method

A nested PCR method was developed for the detection of DNAs extracted from allergenic substances (here, wheat) in food. Because of DNA fragmentation, detection of wheat-specific DNA extracted from food, such as retort pouch food, is very difficult. Therefore, to improve the sensitivity of detection, a nested PCR primer pair (Wtr01NE2-5' and Wtr10NE5-3': amplicon size 97 bp) was newly designed within the region of the PCR products amplified by the official Japanese primer pair (Wtr01-5' and Wtr10-3'; amplicon size 141 bp) for wheat. Genomic DNAs of seven kinds of commercial processed foods containing wheat, wheat flour and three kinds of wheat flours pressure-heated at 100, 121 and 131 degrees C were extracted with a commercial ion-exchange type kit by modifying the Japanese official method. The nested PCR method involved two PCR procedures. First, PCR was performed by varying both the PCR reagents and cycling conditions of the Japanese official method. Second, PCR was performed using the first PCR products diluted 200-fold with TE buffer. The Japanese official method enabled detection of only four of the seven kinds of foods and three of the four kinds of flours (one sample was just a trace), while the nested PCR method detected all seven foods and all four flours. Investigation of the detectability of the four kinds of wheat flours depending on the size of the amplified fragment using five primer pairs showed that its size must be kept to less than approximately 100 bp. The nested PCR method significantly improved the sensitivity of detection of wheat-specific DNA.     

Impact of Wisteria floribunda Agglutinin-Positive Mac-2-Binding Protein in Patients with Hepatitis C Virus-Related Compensated Liver Cirrhosis

We aimed to examine the effect of Wisteria floribunda agglutinin-positive Mac-2-binding protein (WFA⁺-M2BP) level on survival comparing with other laboratory liver fibrosis markers in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related compensated liver cirrhosis (LC) (n = 165). For assessing prognostic performance of continuous fibrosis markers, we adapted time-dependent receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves for clinical outcome. In time-dependent ROC analysis, annual area under the ROCs (AUROCs) were plotted. We also calculated the total sum of AUROCs in all time-points (TAAT score) in each fibrosis marker. WFA⁺-M2BP value ranged from 0.66 cutoff index (COI) to 19.95 COI (median value, 5.29 COI). Using ROC analysis for survival, the optimal cutoff point for WFA⁺-M2BP was 6.15 COI (AUROC = 0.79348, sensitivity = 80.0%, specificity = 74.78%). The cumulative five-year survival rate in patients with WFA⁺-M2BP ≥ 6.15 COI (n = 69) was 43.99%, while that in patients with WFA⁺-M2BP < 6.15 COI (n = 96) was 88.40% (p < 0.0001). In the multivariate analysis, absence of hepatocellular carcinoma (p = 0.0008), WFA⁺-M2BP < 6.15 COI (p = 0.0132), achievement of sustained virological response (p < 0.0001) and des-γ-carboxy prothrombin < 41 mAU/mL (p = 0.0018) were significant favorable predictors linked to survival. In time-dependent ROC analysis in all cases, WFA⁺-M2BP had the highest TAAT score among liver fibrosis markers. In conclusion, WFA⁺-M2BP can be a useful predictor in HCV-related compensated LC.     

Isolation of methyl syringate as a specific aflatoxin production inhibitor from the essential oil of Betula alba and aflatoxin production inhibitory activities of its related compounds

Methyl syringate was isolated from the essential oil of Betula alba as an aflatoxin production inhibitor. It inhibited aflatoxin production of Aspergillus parasiticus and Aspergillus flavus with IC₅₀ values of 0.9 and 0.8 mM, respectively, without significantly inhibiting fungal growth. Methyl syringate reduced mRNA levels of genes (aflR, pksA, and omtA) encoding proteins required for aflatoxin biosynthesis. Methyl gallate, methyl 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoate, and methyl 3-O-methylgallate inhibited both aflatoxin production and fungal growth of A. parasiticus and A. flavus. However, their acids and syringic acid did not inhibit aflatoxin production and growth of A. parasiticus significantly, although gallic acid inhibited aflatoxin production of A. flavus with selectivity. The 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity of methyl syringate was much weaker than that of gallic acid. These results showed that methyl syringate has a unique inhibitory activity toward aflatoxin production with a different mode of action from that of gallic acid.     

SOLVENT EXTRACTION OF COPPER (II) WITH AN ALDOXIME FROM HYDROCHLORIC AND HYDROBROMIC ACIDS

2-ethylhexanal oxime was synthesized to examine the selectivities for various metals in the extractions from hydrochloric acid. It was found to be highly selective for palladium(II) over platinum(II and IV) and other base metals including copper(II), zinc and aluminum, especially in the low concentration region of chloride ions.     

Acidity of β zeolite with different Si/Al2 ratio as measured by temperature programmed desorption of ammonia

High quality β zeolite (BEA) with a Si/Al₂ ratio of 30:70 was readily prepared by a dry gel conversion method. Acidity of the thus prepared β zeolite was measured by an improved technique of temperature programmed desorption of ammonia. Concentration of acid site, measured from the desorbed ammonia, was nearly equal to that of aluminum in the zeolite, and the enthalpy change of ammonia desorption, i.e., the strength of acidity, was 124–127 kJ mol⁻¹, and independent of the concentration of acid site. The long tailing desorption of ammonia was distinct at higher temperature, and this was characteristic of BEA. The tail-like desorption spectrum may be correlated with the presence of strong acid site due to the defect or the tetrahedral site with different structural environments; the conclusion was supported by the characterization data using NMR, IR, and test reaction. Thus found solid acidity was compared with that of the commercially available β zeolite; the observed small difference was explained due to the presence of extra-framework Al.     

Detection of Phase Separation by FTIR in a Liquid-Crystal-Display Substrate Aluminoborosilicate Glass

The effect of heat treatment on the Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR) reflection peak position of the Si–O structural band near 1087 cm⁻¹ of a liquid-crystal-display substrate glass was investigated. The FTIR peak position shifted more slowly with heat-treatment time, and to a greater extent than expected, for the fictive temperature change. The isochronal shift of the FTIR peak as a function of the heat-treatment temperature exhibited a good correlation with the change of chemical durability in an HCl solution, suggesting that the infrared peak shift was the result of the phase separation induced by the heat treatment. The separated phase, with spherical particles ∼50 nm in diameter, was observed by scanning electron microscopy in a glass sample heat-treated at 750°C for 2500 h. The FTIR peak shift measurement appears to be a sensitive method for detecting the early stage of the glass-in-glass phase separation for borosilicate glasses.